Rationalization

Rethinking Michigan's Highway System

The pilot "Rationalization Process" was actually the second plan to enlarge
the state highway system in the late-1990s. As a part of former-Gov. John
Engler's "Build Michigan II" program introduced in May 1997, it was proposed
that the state should assume responsibility for the entire system of federal-aid
roads in Michigan, which amount to 23,500 miles of roadway. When compared
to the present 9,600-mile system, the proposal ruffled a few feathers among
county and local road agencies across the state. The state legislature, in
the end, elected not to enact that portion of the "Build Michigan II" program.

Even though the original proposal was not enacted—only the gas tax
hike portion was—former-Gov. Engler continued to press that roads
which "support the economy—a backbone system of roads that allow
people to get to work and that get raw materials to factories and products
to market" should be maintained as a part of the system of state highways.
While the Department of Transportation has been the traditional custodian
of these routes, radical changes have taken place since the state highway
system was laid out almost 80 years ago. According to MDOT:

There have been major changes in the patterns of workplace
and residential development since these highways were built. Workers no
longer commute to a central city location from homes a relatively short
distance away. Instead, commuting distances have increased dramatically
and offices, factories and distribution centers have spread out into suburban
and rural land areas. Factories no longer maintain huge inventories of
parts on their premises; rather, they rely upon "just-in-time" delivery
of parts from suppliers in dispersed locations.

To continue the course of transferring high-priority, commercially-significant
roads to state control, a "Rationalization Process" began in the summer
of 1997 to, as MDOT stated, "identify
precisely those portions of the current highway, roads, and streets which
serve high-level, economic purposes for either the state as a whole or
for a region of the state." The portions of the current state highway system
which were identified as such were to be retained. The portions of local
and county roads and streets which were identified as serving a "high-level,
economic purpose" were identified as prime candidates for transfer to state
control. On the other hand, the portions of the current state highway system
which were deemed to not serve the high-level purpose were identified as
candidates to be transferred back to local control. In the end, MDOT hoped
this "jurisdictional reform will result in a seamless network of the most
economically important roads, all under state responsibility. The benefits
of this arrangement include the 'economies of scale' that can be applied
to administering and maintaining the system, and the ability to use a systematic
approach to scheduling improvements."

The Rationalization Process began with the distribution of maps to local
road agencies, showing the various classifications of each road and highway
in each local jurisdiction. The local road agencies (county road commissions,
municipal departments of public works, etc.) reviewed the maps and suggested
changes, additions and deletions to the highway systems. From there, the
process continued with negotiations between the local agencies and the
transportation department as to which local roads and streets will be transferred
to the state, and which state highways will be turned back to local control.

Additional Information

Unfortunately, with the 2002 reorganization of the MDOT website
and its migration into the "michigan.gov" format, some of the Rationalization-related
information has disappeared. Below are links to the remaining information: